Tea Party[4] activists are still raging about “Amycare[5]” for the Monument Republican’s sponsorship of the measure as surrender to “Obamacare[6]” and “socialized medicine.” There has been talk for months of potential primary challenges to Stephens next year.

“This site is dedicated to exposing Representatives (sic) Stephens for what she is – a Progressive in Conservative clothing,” the site’s anonymous author writes. “My objective is to see that she is never elected to another position in Colorado.

“Her sole claim to conservative values is that, once, a long time ago, she worked for Focus on the Family,” the site says. “I’m quite sure that their litmus test for employees isn’t that they are politically conservative. Look at her agenda and voting record. She is against free markets and the general public; she is only interested in what’s good for her, advances her power and position and allows her to exercise patronage.”

As evidence, the web page cites her co-sponsorship of the health care exchange legislation, “a completely anti-American, anti-free market, anti-consumer bill,” and it tags her for supporting a bill in 2010 that will push Xcel Energy to use natural gas to generate electricity instead of coal-fired plants.

The site also erroneously states that Stephens supported a 2009 bill to raise vehicle registration fees to pay for road improvements. While the record shows Stephens voted to allow other House members to offer amendments on third reading – a common courtesy shown to fellow lawmakers that is almost always unanimously supported – it also indicates she voted against the bill when it came up for a vote.

Stephens laughed off the website, and for the record, says she’s not practicing a royal wave.

“That’s what you get when you’re in leadership,” Stephens said. “Anyone can get 15 seconds of fame and get on the internet and say whatever you want.”

Is she worried about a primary challenge?

“I don’t wake up thinking about that,” she said. “I’m focused on growing the Republican majority with the speaker and hopefully getting a real good presidential candidate.

“People can talk all they want or do what they want. I’m not focused on that.”

Whether opponents of Stephens, who has long been regarded as a rock-ribbed conservative Republican, will actually succeed in mounting a primary challenge and “dethroning” her remains to be seen. Every one of the state’s major business groups vigorously supported the health insurance exchange, and the business community is likely to have her back come campaign time.

As Queen Elizabeth I remarked once to Mary, Queen of Scots, the bitter rival who imprisoned her and whom she ultimately executed, “The stone often recoils on the head of the thrower.”